Apparatus for automatically removing lint from a plurality of rows of textile looms



Nov. 5, 1957 c. DE v. MILLER ETAL 2,812,251

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REMOVING LINT FROM A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF TEXTILE LOOMS Filed Oct. 8, 1954 14 Sheets-Sheet l E n i w I Q INVENTORS cA-EEOZZ de 1/. M/ZZEB A FRANCIS /v. EEC/(6E 11 froze/v5 Ys Nov. 5, 1957 c. 0s: v. MILLER ETAL 2,812,251

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REMOVING LINT FROM A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF TEXTILE LOOMS Filed Oct. 8, 1954 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TORS 04 E201 t 612 V- lV/Z LEE A FRAA/c /5 N. EEC/r578 A TTOENEYS Nov. 5, 1957 0. DE v. MILLER ETAL 2,812,251

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REMOVING LINT FROM A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF TEXTILE LOOMS Filed QC'C. 8, 1.954 14 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS CAPEOZL 'de V- M/LLER a F/PA/VC/S M EEC/FE}? BY iP/c HEX WA 7' 7s, EDGE/PTO/Va? NAIENNV Nov. 5, 957 c. DE v. MILLER ET AL 2,812,251

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REMOVING LINT FROM PLURALITY OF ROWS OF TEXTILE LOOMS Filed Oct. 8, 1954 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS CARROLL de M/LLEE A FiEA/VC/S N. BECKER .BY E/CHEK WATTS, 50651870NNNENNY Nov. 5, 1957 c. DE v. MILLER ETAL 2,812,251

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REMOVING LINT FROM A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF TEXTILE LOOMS Filed Oct. 8, 1954 l4 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVEN TORS CAP/POLL Qe V- M/ZZER A FEA/VC /s N- 35cm??? BY R/cms"); WA 7 7s, EDGEETOA/a? MS/ws'N/v Y A froze/vsvs Nov. 5, 1957 (3, DE v. MILLER ETAL 2,812,251

'APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REMOVING LINT FROM A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF TEXTILE LOOMS Filed Oct. 8, 1954 14 Sheets-Sheet 7 HUN Elli;

INVENTORS CAREOLZ de M MI: 152 A FEA/VC/S v. EEC/(El? B E/CHEY, WATTSjE'DGL-E To/VAMQVEA/A/Y I ATTOFA/FYS 2,s12,251 T 14 Sheets-Sheet 8 Nov. 5, 1957 0. DE v. MILLER ET AL APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REMOVING LIN FROM A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF TEXTILE LOOM Filed Oct. 8, 1954 INVENTORS de V-N/ZLER 'A froze/V5 rs CA R/POL l: a? FEANC ls MBEc/rL-E 7 78/6/15); WA 775 EOGEETOWfi-A/ENA/Y Nov. 5, 1957 c. DE v. MILLER ET AL 2,812,251}

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REMOVING LINT FROM A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF TEXTILE LOOMS Filed Oct. 8, 1954 14 Sheets-Sheet 9 N o 0 Q 3 g: 8

\ INVENTORS .BY E/CHEK WA 775, EDGEEENJM- /VEAKAIY 14770 zen/5Y5 Nov. 5, 1957 c. DE v. MILLER ETAL 2,312,251

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REMOVING LINT FROM A PLURALITY 0F ROWS OF TEXTILE LOOMS Filed Oct. 8, 1954 14 Sheets-Sheet 11 IN VEN TORS cA/Pzou de V-N/ZLEE a? PEA/V615 A/- BECA'EE BY E/CHE); WA 775, E0 GEZTO/V M-C/VE/V/VY J4 TTOE/VEYS Nov. 5, 1957 c. DE v. MILLER ETAL APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REMOVING LINT FROM A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF TEXTILE LOOMS Filed Oct. 8, 1954 14- Sheets-Sheet 12 N INVENTORS (\a CARROLL a e V. M/ZLE/Y JF/PAA/C/S IV- EEC/('57 BY R/C/YEY, WATTEEDGE/PTO/Vd/ffA/E/V/VY 1957 c. DE v. MILLER ETAL 2,812,251

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REMOVING LINT FROM A PLURALITY 0F ROWS OF TEX ILE LOOMS Filed 001.. 8, 1954 l4 SheetsSheet 13 J 22 S kk Blk ELF FWD NAIVUALH AUTO 55 5 a? Li c a: u l i v A g D $0 1 INVENTORS I cAmeou de V-M/ZLEE H W HA U7'a drmq/vc/s 1v. EEC/FEE ATTORNEYS Nov. 5, 1957 c. DE v. MILLER ETAL 2,812,251

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REMOVING LINT FROM A PLURALITY 0F ROWS 0F TEXTILE LOOMS 1 Filed Oct. 8, 1954 14 Sheets-Sheet 14 'le/cmeg WA 77$,EDGERTONJ MENE/VNY ATTORNEYS nite Staes APPARATUS FOR AUTUMATECALLY REMOVING LINT FROM A PLURALHY OF RCWS 0F TEX- TILE LOOMS Application ()ctober 8, 1954, Serial No. 461,174

17 Claims. (Cl. 15-312) This invention relates generally to the art of cleaning and is particularly concerned with new apparatus for removing lint from looms.

Prior to a few years ago, lint was removed from looms manually, only incompletely and at considerable expense. More recently, apparatus has been devised which comprises a blower supported to travel over a row of looms and provided with nozzles through which air was blown onto such parts of the loom, in such volume and at such velocity as to remove loose fibers from both the warp and cloth sides of the loom without actuating the loom stopping mechanism. Apparatus of that type is disclosed and claimed in our copending application, Serial No. 202,856, filed December 27, 1950, now Patent No. 2,729,845, issued January 10, 1956.

While the apparatus of that application has been quite successful commercially, there are certain limitations imposed on the extent of its use by mill construction. Its use is restricted in certain mills because of inadequate head room between the looms and the ceiling of the weave room or other obstructions over the looms; and in other mills, because of interference between the means which suspend the apparatus and the warp beam handling cranes which run over the looms. In still other mills, the arrangement of looms is such as to cause too much lost time incident to returning the apparatus to its starting point for repetition of any cleaning cycle or, alter natively, the cleaning of the looms on widely varying time cycles.

The present invention aims to provide automatic loom cleaning apparatus which can be used where head room is at a premium, where there would be interference with cranes or similar apparatus, and where lost time, widely varying time cycles and duplication of trackage and the like are to be avoided. This aim is achieved by various embodiments of the present invention including those disclosed herein.

The present invention may be briefly described as comprising a new combination of elements which jointly coact to produce a new result and perform functions in the combination which are different from and additional to those performed by the elements When used separately.

This new combination of elements may take many different forms, none of which has ever been proposed prior to the present invention, so far as we know.

A preferred combination of elements comprises a suspended crane or carrier runway, a traveling crane or carrier movable on the runway, a blower'unit supported by the crane and moving with it over a row of looms therebeneath and movable lengthwise of the crane bridges into indexed position above each of several rows of looms 1 tent and an electrical system controlling the movements of the crane and blowerunit.

Another combination of elements embodying the in vention may be substantially that just described but with the movable blower unit replaced by a plurality of blower units fixed in position on the crane above each of the rows of looms. A third combination of elements emd bodying the invention comprises either of the foregoing combinations with a hoist handling crane which may be connected to or embodied in'the blower handling crane.

Another combination of elements embodying the present invention may consist of any of the foregoing combinations of elements with ceiling cleaning means.

Another combination of elements embodying the present invention may consist of a crane or carrier having a single bridge on which both a warp beam hoist and a blower unit may travel and serve a plurality of rows of looms.

Still another combination of elements embodying the invention may consist of a traveling crane or carrier carrying a single enlarged blower connected to nozzles disposed above several rows of looms with means for moving the crane endwise on its runway, and with or without ceiling cleaning means. A hoist handling crane may be connected to or embodied in this combination of elements or in any of the preceding combinations. Other combinations of the several main elements are included within the claims and may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

It is to be understood that by the term element as used in the phrase combination of elements we mean not only a single mechanical part but also two or more mechanical parts which form a device which may properly be considered as an element. For example, the crane is considered as an element in the claimed combination of elements although the crane consists of several mechanical parts including a bridge, end trucks and trolleys and with or without driving means such as a drive shaft and traction wheels.

The present invention will be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the present invention disposed in operative position with a plurality of rows of looms and building support posts;

Fig. 2 is 'a top plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the blower unit shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 5 with parts broken away;

Fig. 7 is a vertical view, partly in section, taken on line 7--7 of Fig. 5,;

v Fig. 8 is a vertical, sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is an end elevational view taken on line 99 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a vertical, elevational view, partly in section, taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 8;

Figs. 11 and 12 are, respectively, top plan and end elevational views of a modified form of the present invention;

Fig. 13 is a top plan view of still another modified form of the present invention;

Fig. 14 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view taken on line 14-14 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary, side elevational view, partly in section, taken on line 15-15 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 16 is a top plan view of an alternative form of blower supporting unit;

Fig. 17 is an end elevational view, partly in section, of the apparatus-of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is an end elevational view of the right handend of the apparatus-of Fig. 1-6;

Fig. 19 is a vertical view, partly in section, taken on line 19-19 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 20 is a top plan view of still another modified embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 20; and

Fig. 22 is a schematic wiring diagram for use with the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 11, inclusive.

Fig. 23 is a schematic wiring diagram of an electrified hoist which maybe used with the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 11, inclusive, in lieu of the manual hoist of those figures and the wiring diagram of which is shown on Fig. 22.

Fig. 24 is a schematic wiring diagram of the apparatus shown in Figs. 13 to 15, inclusive, and

Fig. 25 is a schematic wiring diagram of the apparatus shown in Figs. 20 and 21.

Fig. 1 shows a portion or bay of a weave room in which the roof or ceiling (not. shown) is supported by rows of posts or columns 1 and in which several rows of looms 2 are arranged between a pair of rows of posts 1. The cloth and warp beams of the looms are indicated at 3 and 4, respectively, while 5 indicates the arches of the looms and 511 indicates the belts by which the heddles of the looms (not shown) are suspended and raised and lowered. It will be noted that the looms in the left hand row are arranged with their warp beams adjacent to the left hand row of posts 1 while the looms in the right hand row are positioned with their warp beams adjacent to the right hand row of posts. This arrangement is preferred to facilitate the handling of loaded warp beams to the several rows of looms when the hoist is mounted on the crane bridgewhich also carries a blower unit. Such an arrangement of apparatus is shown 'in certain of the modifications disclosed herein and will presently he described.

It is to be understood that there may be a plurality of bays, such as that shown in Fig. 1, in a single weave room, it not being uncommon for a weave room to contain several hundred looms arranged in many rows.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show a form of the present invention which may be used in certain mills. Rails 6, suspended adjacent to each of the rows of pillars 1, serve as a crane runway and support a hoist crane or carrier A and a blower crane or carrier B. The hoist crane or carrier A comprises two end trucks 9 suspended by trolleys 10 from rails 6 and a bridge 11 connected at its ends to trucks 9. A hoist 12 is suspended below bridge 11 by trolleys 13 which run on the top of the lower flanges of bridge 11. This hoist 12 may be of conventional construction and may be mechanically or electrically operated and includes a cable and a. book 14 which may be fastened to a lifting harness (notshown) on a loaded warp beam to transfer the latter to, and place it in position on, any of the looms in the three rows indicated in Fig. 1.

Blower crane or carrier B comprises end trucks 15 suspended below rails 6 by trolleys 16 which include wheels running on the lower flanges of the runway rails 6, parallel bridges 17 connected at their ends to trucks 15 and connected together between their ends by plates 18, and a crane drive shaft 19 having traction wheels 20 secured thereto near its end to engage the undersides of rails 6. A motor 21 is carried on the top of the crane, is connected by a chain.22 to a sprocket on shaft 19 and serves to rotate shaft 19 and thereby to propel crane B from one end of the crane runway to the other and, when connected to craneA, to move that, crane to positions over any of the looms to which loaded warp beams are to be delivered. Cranes A and B may be operated separately or connected together.

Electrical energy for the motors of cranes A and B may be carried by bus bars 6a carried by the rails 6 or by wires 6b supported from columns 1. Collectors, such as wheels or shoes (not shown)'engaging wires 6b, or shoes of the type shown at 59 in Fig. 5, may be used'to collect current from the wires or bus bars for conduction to a switch box indicated generally at 23 whence conductors may carry current to the various motors and the hoist in the conventional manner.

A blower unit C is suspended from bridges 17 and is movable lengthwise of those bridges into positions above each of the several rows of looms. A blower propelling unit P comprising a motor-driven traction wheel 25 engageable with the underside of one of bridges 17 and supported by trolleys running on the upper side of the lower flanges of that bridge is connected to the blower unit C to move the latter along bridges 17 to positions above each of the rows of looms 2.

The blower unit C of Figs. 1 to 3 is shown in more detail in Figs. 4 to 10, inclusive. That unit comprises a plate 27 suspended below the bridges 17 by two trolleys 28 having pairs of wheels to run on the upper sides of the lower flanges of the two bridges. Two motors 29 are fastened to the underside of plate 27 with their rotor shafts 30 substantially in axial alignment and with centrifugal fans 31 mounted on the remote ends of those shafts. The motor housings 32 carry fan housings 33 aboutthe fans 31 and means for oscillating and adjusting those housings. Each fan housing 33 has a tangential outlet or nozzle 35 which may be fitted with an extension 35c of any desired cross-sectional shape but preferably one which merges into a cylinder to concentrate the outgoing air stream.

As is better shown in Fig. 6, each housing 33 has a peripheral wall 34 which has its smallest radius near one side wall 35a of the outlet 35 and which gradually increases in radial length to the place where it merges with the opposite wall 35b of the tangential outlet. The. front side of the fan housing has a disk-shaped opening 36 to admit air and carries a plurality of clips 37 which serve to retain an adapter ring 38 by means of which the area of the opening 36 may be varied to regulate the amount of air entering the fan housing.

Figs. 8 to 10 show means for varying the direction of the air stream from nozzle 350. A ring 40 is attached. as by screws 41, to the end of each motor housing 32 and each ring serves to supportand position the inner race 42.0f a roller bearing. A plurality of U-shaped clips 43 are positioned about the outer race 44 of the roller bearing with one leg 45 of each clip bearing against the end of the outer race adjacent to the motor housing and with the other leg 46 resting on the outer cylindrical surface of the outer race. A ring 47 bears against the other end surface of the outer race 44, and the clips 43, ring 47 and outer race of the hearing are held in assembled position by screws 48 which extend through both legs of the clips and into the ring. The fan housing 33 is secured to the ring 47 by a plurality of circumferentially spaced screws 50. An eccentric ring 49 is clamped between clips 43 and ring 47 by bolts 48. The clamping force exerted by bolts 48 may be varied to prevent the ring 49 from being shifted circumfercntially relative to the clips 43 and ring 47. By loosening bolts 43, the ring 49 may be rotated relative to ring 47 for changing the position of the nozzle or outlet from the fan housing.

Means are also provided for oscillating the fan housing. as is better shown in Figs. 6 to 10. The ring 49 projects upwardly well above the clips 43 and carries a pin 490 on which is rotatably mounteda spherical ball rod end 51. A similar spherical ball rod end 52 is rotatably mounted on a crank pin on shaft 54 which is supported in bearings 54a carried by carriage 27 and is driven through a belt 56 and a gear reducer 57 by a motor 58 attached to the underside of carriage 27. A threaded rod 53 pro jects into both rod ends 51 and 52 and nuts 53a may be adjusted on the rod 53 to regulate'the' combined length of rod ends and rod according to the position of ring 49.

It will be understood that when motor 58 is energized. shaft 54 will rotate and will reciprocate the push rods 5?. with resultant oscillation of the fan housings about the rotor shafts 30 of the motors through a short angular distance. The effect of such oscillation is indicated in Fig. 1 by the several pairs of lines leading downwardly from the fan housings. In that figure, the pair of dot anddash lines indicated at Z mark the approximate shape of the stream of air discharged from the nozzle of one fan housing onto the warp beam side of loom 2 when the fan housing is at one end of its stroke, while the dot lines Y indicate the same stream at the other end of the stroke of the housing. As noted the stream between lines Z extends from the warp roll nearly to the heddies while the stream between lines Y extends from a place between the warp roll and the heddles to a point beyond the heddles. Similarly, dot and dash lines Z and dot lines Y indicate the extreme positions of the stream of air coming from the other fan housing and striking the loom on the cloth side of the heddles. The position of these streams of air from the nozzles of these two fan housings may be shifted from the positions shown in Fig. 1 by rotating ring 49 relative to the clips 43 and ring 47 as above described.

It is quite important that the volume and velocity of the air, as measured at the warp level of the looms, should be sufiicient, on the one hand, to remove lint from the warp, cloth and various parts of the loom and, on the other hand, that it should not be sufficient to actuate the stop motions of the loom. Preferably the linear speed of the air at the Warp or cloth level should be at a rate between about 2000 and about 2800 feet per minute and its volume should be between about 800 and about 1200 cubic feet per minute with each stream of air covering at one time approximately half the distance from the heddles to the remote warp or cloth roll as the case may be.

Current for the motors of blower unit C and tractor P (Fig. 1) may be collected from bus bars 55 (see Fig. 5) carried along the webs of bridges 17 of crane B, such collection being accomplished by collector shoes 59 and arms 61 pivoted to trolleys 28 and pressed against the bus bars by springs 62. Conductors (not shown) are employed to carry the current from the collector shoes 59 which engage conductors 6a to a junction box and distributing switches (not shown) which are housed within the switch cabinet 63.

In lieu of, collecting current from bus bars 55, a conductor cable 64 may be used to connect terminals in switch or junction box 23 on one of the crane bridges with switches in the switch cabinet 63 on the blower unit. As shown in Fig. 2, this conductor 64 may be flexible and may be supported in festoon-like loops by holders which are freely slidable along a taut wire 65 fastened at each end to end trucks 15.

Means for automatically stopping and reversing the movement of crane or carrier B on the runway is indicated on Fig. 1. Near each end of the runway an arm 66 is supported by the one rail 6 and extends down near to the top of the crane bridges 17. A double-throw maintained limit switch 67 is attached to the top of one bridge 17 and has a lever 68 engageable with the arms 66 and attached to a switch actuating shaft. The parts 66, '67 and 68 are like those shown in Figs. 16 and 17 and described more in detail in connection with those figures. When the crane approaches one end of the runway and lever 63 engages arm 66, the current to the crane proelling motor is cut ofi, the switch is set for reverse flow of current to the crane motor and the blower unit propelling motor is energized and moves the unit to its next position on the crane. When the unit reaches that position, its motor is de-energized and the crane motor is energized to move the crane to the opposite end of the runway where a similar operation takes place, as will be more completely described in connection with Figs. 16 and 17. It will be understood that crane B is, preferably, provided with the conventional push button controls by which the crane may be operated automatically or manually.

In the modification shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the single self-propelled crane or carrier has two bridges with a hoist mounted on one bridge and a blower unit mounted on the other. The crane of these figures includes end trucks suspended below the runway by trolleys 71 having wheels to run on the lower flanges of the rails 6, and bridges '72 connected at their ends to the end trucks 7). Each end truck carries current collectors 7th: to engage bus bars attached to one rail 6. A drive shaft 73 is provided with wheels 74 near the ends thereof to engage the undersides of the runway rails and this shaft is supported in bearings 75 on the end trucks and by bearings carried by angle bars 76 projecting from the blower-unit-carrying bridge 72. Shaft 73 is rotated by a motor 77 which drives a chain 78a engaging a sprocket on shaft 73. The motor 77 may be supported by the hoist-carrying bridge 72 adjacent to one end truck.

The hoist 78 is supported by trolleys 79 which have wheels to run on the lower flanges of one bridge 72, is equipped with a cable having a hook 80 and may be controlled by a push button control 81 for raising and lowering movement of the cable. This hoist 78 is manually movable along bridge 72.

The blower unit of Figs. 11 and 12 is quite like that shown in Figs. 4 and 5 but differs therefrom primarily in that the supporting trolleys 28 have been moved from the ends of plate 27 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 to the middle of that plate and have been located adjacent to the front and rear side edges of that plate so that the wheels of both trolleys will run on the flanges of one crane bridge 72. Since the weights of the parts on opposite sides of the trolleys are approximately equal, the blower unit will balance and may operate on a single beam.

Although no means for propelling the blower unit is shown in Figs. 11 and 12, it is to be understood that this blower unit may be propelled by a propelling unit such as unit P of Fig. 1. The blower unit of Figs. 11 and 12 includes motors 29, centrifugal fans 31, fan housings 33 and means to collect current substantially as shown in Fig. 5. It will also be understood that the fan housing oscillating means of Fig. 5 may be employed with the blower of Figs. 11 and 12, although not illustrated in those figures.

The embodiment of the present invention shown in Figs. 13, 14 and 15 comprises a single, self-propelling crane or carrier for a hoist, blower units and overhead cleaners. It comprises end trucks 85 having trolleys by which they are suspended beneath rails 6, a hoist-carrying bridge 86 and two blower-carrying bridges 87. The crane is propelled by a shaft 88 having drive wheels 89 attached thereto and positioned to engage the undersides of the rails 6 and a motor 90 to drive the shaft through a chain 91.

The current for energizing the motors on the crane may be collected from bus bars, such as are shown at 6a in Figs. 1 and 3 and which are carried by the runway rails 6, by collectors such as parts 59 and 61 of Fig. 5. Alternatively, the current for the motors on the crane may be collected from the wires 65 which are suspended above the crane, as is shown in Fig. 1, by collectors (not shown) which engage those wires.

It will be understood that a hoist is to be mounted on bridge 86 although none is shown in Fig. 13, and that the hoists of Figs. 1 or 12 are suitable for this purpose.

The bridges 87 support a plurality of blower units 92 which are fixed in position thereon and are disposedabove rows of looms so that streams of air discharged from the fan housings of each of these units will be directed down onto each of the rows of looms after the manner shown in Fig. 1 in connection with one row of looms. Since these blower units 92 are fixed in position they are, unlike the blower unit of Figs. 4 and 5, not equipped with trolleys but, on the contrary, the plate 27 or its equivalent of each unit is attached directly against theunderside of bridges 87.

The blower units 92 are otherwise quite like the blower unit C of Figs. 4 to 10, inclusive. They include motors 29, centrifugal fans 31, fan housings 33, and housing oscillating shaft 54 and its connections to the housings. However, the blower unit of Figs. 13 and 14 employs a single driven shaft for rotating the housing oscillating shafts 54 of the several blower units 92. This means comprises a shaft 93 suspended from the end trucks of the crane in bearings and disposed approximately midway between motors 29 of the several blower units. At one end a motor 94 supported by an end truck 85 serves to rotate the shaft 93 and belts 95 running around pulleys mounted on shafts 54 and 93 transmit rotary motion from the latter to the former andthereby cause oscillation of all the fan housings 33.

The apparatus of Figs. 13 to 15 is provided with means for removing lint from walls, lights, piping and the like above the crane. This means comprises a pair of fans positioned to propel streams of air upwardly. Each of these cleaning means includes a rectangular plate 96 attached at its ends to bridges 87 and depressed at its middle to support on its upper side a motor 97 which has a fan 98 mounted on its rotor shaft. A housing in the form of a truncated cone 99 surrounds the fan and serves to direct the air propelled by the latter upwardly in a concentrated stream. It will be understood that air may enter the space around fan 98 by flowing between the edges of the rectangular plates 96 and the bottom of conical housing 99.

Figs. 16 to 19 show a modified form of blower unit propelling mechanism. In these figures, plate 100 is shown as being suspended below crane bridges 101, which are quite like bridges 17 of Fig. 2, by means of trolleys 102 having wheels 103 running on the lower flanges of the bridges. It will be understood that there will be mounted on the underside of plate 100 a blower unit generally like that shown in Figs. 5 to 10, inclusive. Such a unit will preferably include motors 29, fans 31, fan housings 33, shaft 54 and motor 58 to actuate the shaft.

On the top side of plate 100 is mounted a reversible motor 104, and a gear reducer 105, the latter having a pulley 106 mounted on its output shaft. are attached to one side edge of plate 100 and carry vertical cylinders 108, each provided with a spring-pressed plunger 109 and a screw 110 to adjust the compression on the spring. These plungers engage the underside of bearing blocks 111 in which is rotatably mounted shaft 112. This shaft is provided with wheels 113 near its ends to engage with the underside of bridges 101 to propel plate 100 and its appurtenances lengthwise of the crane. To maintain substantially constant the tension on the belt 114 which is driven by pulley 106 and which drives shaft 112, blocks 115 are mounted on shaft 112 and are welded to one end of rods 116, the other ends of which are threaded into sleeves 117 which are pivoted to uprights 118 secured to the upper side of plate 100.

Current collector shoes 120 engageable with bus bars 121 which extend lengthwise of and are supported by the bridges of the crane, are carried by legs 122 which are pivoted to brackets 123 fixed to plate 100. Springs 124 urge the legs toward the bus bars. Conductors (not shown) serve to conduct current from shoes 120 to a terminal in switch box 125 which is connected to the underside of plate 100 along the side opposite shaft 112.

In Figs. 16 and 17, means are shown for stopping, starting and reversing the blower unit propelling motor 104. Angles 125 are secured to the top of one of the bridges 101 near each end thereof. From each of these angles depend two arms 127 arranged in laterally offset position. On the top of plate 100 is mounted a limit switch. 124 having a shaft on which is keyed a hub 123 provided with fingers 129 projecting therefrom at an Brackets 107 8 included angle of about 90. These fingers are at opposite ends of the hub and are engageable with the arms 127. When the blower unit nears one end of the crane, one finger 129 engages the arm 1127 at that end of the crane and hub 128 is rotated thereby with resultant rotation of the shaft on which it is mounted and the actuation .of switch 124 with coincident de-energization of the motor 104, energization of the crane travel motor and the setting of contacts so that when motor 104 is again energized it will drive the blower unit in the reverse direction.

Other angles 126 are similarly carried by the bridge in positions above each of the intermediate rows of looms. Each of these angles carries adepending arm 130.. A limit switch 131 included in the circuit to motor 104 .has a spring return arm 133 keyed to its shaft and this arm carries a roller 134 which is engageablewitheach of arms 1303*" When motor 104 moves plate 10:) and. brings roller 134 into contact with an arm 130, the latter will move arm 133 through the few degrees necessary for it to clear the arm 130. In so moving, the arm 133 will open switch 131 through which current is flowing to motor 104 thereby stopping the blower unit in position over a row of looms, and starting the crane motor. When motor 104 is re-energized, the blower unit is moved to a position over the next row of looms by a repetition of these steps.

When the unit reaches the far end of the crane and is reversed by reason of arm 129 engaging arm 127, the unit is returned to the other end of the crane and is stopped there over a row of looms by engagement of arm 127 with arm 129. The switch 131 is an unidirectional switch and, accordingly, when the blower unit is being returned to the starting end of the crane as just described, the switch will not be electrically actuated when the arm 133 is mechanically actuated by engaging arms 130.

Still another modified form of the present invention is shown in Figs. 20 and 21. In this embodiment, a single fan is employed to deliver streams of air simultaneously through outlets or nozzles onto several different rows of looms. This embodiment comprises a crane or carrier including end trucks 140, bridges 141 connected at their ends to theend trucks and a crane propelling shaft 142 mounted in hearings in the end trucks and in stays 143 projecting from the adjacent bridge with wheels 144 mounted thereon to engage the underside of the runway rails 6. A motor 21 and gear box unit 145 is supported on a plate secured to one end truck 140 and the adjacent stay 143 and drives shaft 142 through. a chain 146. A fan motor is supported on a plate 151 between bridges 141 and has a fan 152 mounted on its rotor shaft. A conduit system is supported by the bridges 141, includes a circular housing 153 surrounding the fan and having a disk-like inlet and laterally extending ducts 154 leading from the housing toward the end trucks 140. These ducts 154 have a plurality of outlets 155, each preferably provided with an oscillatable nozzle 156. These outlets 155 are arranged in pairs to deliver streams of air onto rows of looms on opposite sides of the heddles or harnesses thereof and the several pairs of outlets are spaced apart from one another so that each pair may similarly serve its row of looms.

It will be understood that when fan 152 is rotated by motor 150, air will be drawn into the open upper end of housing 153 and will be discharged through the horizontalducts 154 and thence downwardly through outlets 155 onto rows of looms therebeneath.

When nozzles 156 are pivotally connected to outlets 155, they may be oscillated substantially as is shown in Figs. 13 to 15 and described above.

It is to be understood that any of the cranes of Figs. 11, 13 and 20 may be fitted with automatic reversing apparatus and with the controls described above in connection with the apparatus of Fig. 1.

In each of the herein disclosed embodiments of the invention the carrier is elongated enough in a direction 9 normal to its direction of travel to extend across a plurality of rows of looms substantially parallel to the warp strands of the looms; the nozzles are positionedon the opposite elongated sides of the carrier; and the non-electrical means which is connected to and actuates the'fan means is supported by, and fixed against lateral movement relative to, the carrier, that is transversely of the elongated axis of the carrier.

It will be understood that numerous combinations Other than those shown in the accompanying drawings may be made by selecting various elements from the different figures. For example, the blower units of Figs. 4, 11 or 16 may be used on a crane with the ceiling cleaning blowers of Figs. 13 to 15. Similarly, the ceiling cleaning units of Figs. 13 to 15 may be used with any of the cranes of Figs. 1 to 3, 11 and 12 and 20 and 21.; It will be understood that many different conditions must be considered and provided for, or against, in using any of the above described embodiments of the present invention.

When a manually actuated hoist is employed, provision must be made to insure that the hoist hook will not be in a down position where it could contact with any part of a loom therebeneath. If it were in such a down position and the crane was moved along its runway, serious damage might be done to one or more of the looms with which the hook would come into contact. Damage traceable to such a contingency is prevented in the present case by the apparatus shown in Fig. 22 and described in the description of that figure.

When a hoist is employed with a blower-carrying crane or carrier, damage to the looms by the hoist hook may be prevented by an electrical interlock which prevents energization of the crane moving motor when the hook of the hoist is in a lowered position where it could contact with a loom. and electrical hoists are shown in the wiring diagrams of Figs. 22 and 23 and will be described in connection therewith.

Since the ceiling cleaning fans and the loom cleaning fans must rotate in only one direction, their motors may not be reversed. Since the cranes and the movable lower units must reciprocate, their motors must be reversible. Thus, provision must be made for continuing to rotate the fan motors in one direction while permitting reversal of the other motors from time to time. Provision for such control is also shown in the wiring diagrams, Figs. 22 and 24 and will be described hereafter.

When an embodiment of the invention is being used in which both the crane or carrier and the blower unit are movable and the blower unit is to be indexed successively above the various rows of looms, it is impor-' tant that the crane moving means be energized when the blower means has been properly indexed over a row of looms and should remain energized until the crane has reached the end of its travel; that the blower propelling means P should be de-energized when the crane moving means is energized; and that the blower propelling means P should be energized only when the crane propelling motor is de-energized. The means for so interlocking the crane propelling motor and the blower unit propelling motor is shown in Fig. 22 and will be described hereinafter.

It is also important similarly to interlock the hoist and the motors for moving the crane and the blower units. The crane motor should be de-energized not only when the hoist hook is down, as above pointed out, but also when a warp beam is being carried by the hoist for otherwise the warp beam would not be taken directly to its intended place of use. Similarly and preferably the blower propelling means P should not be mov ing on the crane or operating while the crane is trans porting the warp beamto the loom which needs it.

Interlocks for use with mechanical.

Means for interlocking these several parts are shown in Fig.22 and will be described presently.

Figs. 22,- 23, 24 and 25 show all the electrical systems necessary for operation of the several modifications of Figs. 1 to 21.. However, it is to be understood that not all of the equipment of these figures is used with any one modification but that by making appropriate deletions or additions each modification may be implemented.

On Fig. 22, S designates the main switch through which three-phase electrical power may be delivered from an outside source to transformer Twhence electrical energy may flow through conductors L1 and L3 to the bus bars 6a on the crane runway and conductor L2 to the rail.

If the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 12, inclusive, is to be used the electrical system shown on Fig. 22 may be employed. In this case the crane motor 21 will receive power from bus bars 6a through shoes 59, contacts 0 and reversing latch contactors BLF and BLR; and the oscillating motor 58 and fan motors 29 and blower unit propelling motor P will receive current from bus bars carried on the bridge of the carrier and shoes 59 in contact therewith, these bars 55 being energized from the conductors carrying current to motor 21.

If a mechanical hoist is to be used with the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 12, then the push button control PBC shown on'Fig. 22 and enclosed within the box LL thereon will be used. This control takes power from bus bars 6a through shoes 59 and includes a control which may be used selectively to operate the crane manually or automatically and also includes a switch which is effective to energize or deenergize the crane motor 21, depending on whether the hoist is idle or in use. When the hoist is to be used the hoist chain will be removed from basket 162 at one end of teeter bar 161 and switch 160 Will thereupon be opened by resultant pivoting of bar 161. When the hoist is actuated to lower the hook and its cable, switch 163 will be opened. The opening of switches 160 and 163 will deenergize contactor coil C with resultant opening of contacts 0 in the lines L1, L2 and L3 from shoes 59 to motors 21, 29, 58 and P and will thus make it impossible to energize any of these motors through the automatic side of the control. But when the selector switch is moved to the manual position and the appropriate forward or reverse button is pushed a forward or reverse contactor coil is energized and closes contacts F or R in the circuit from shoes 59 to motor 21, thus by-passing contacts 0 and BLF and BLR. Thereupon the crane motor 21 only may be energized for forward or reverse movement. When the hoist is no longer needed and the cable is raised, switch 163 is automatically closed, and when the chain is placed in the basket 162 switch will be closed. Then motors 21, 29, 58 and P may be energized for automatic operation by shifting the selector switch from the manual to the automatic position.

In the event that an electric hoist is to be used, instead of the mechanical hoist PBC of Fig. 22, appropriate system for such an electric hoist is shown in Fig. 23, it being understood that the power lines L1, L2 and L3 for this electrical hoist system are to be connected to correspondingly identified lines in Fig. 22 just below lines 6a and contactors 59. As is shown in Fig. 23, this electrical system includes bus bars L1, L2 and L3 carried by the hoist supporting bridge HB, up limit switch 163, hoist motor and a push button control PBH. This control PBH includes a selector switch which may be set for automatic or manual operation of the crane and hoist only and which is quite similar to control PBC. for up and down movement of the hoist cable.

, Fig..24 shows a wiring diagram suitable for use with the apparatus shown. in Figs. 13 to 15, inclusive. In thisinstance the crane propelling motor 21 is energized by current received frorn conductors 6a through shoes;

It also includes push buttons 181 and 182 t an;

. 11 t 59, as in Fig. 22. Since theblower units run continuously and are fixed to the crane,.thc jumper] connected from L1 to. FLS and R L S seryes to reversejthejcrane at each end of its travel. I x

In Fig. 24 the ceiling fans, 97 the blowerunitfans 29, and the oscillator motor 94 are shown as being actuated by current derived directly from the lines L1,L2, and L3 which are conducting current to motor 21.

Fig. 25 shows an electrical system for use with the apparatus of Figs. 20 and 21. In this case the crane propelling motor 21 derives itspower from lines L1, L2 and L3, as above described in connection with Fig. 24 and-the crane movement is automatically reversed at each end of its travel by use of the jumper], as described above in connection with Fig 24.

The fan 150 which serves to draw room air into casing 154 and to deliver it at high velocity through'nozzles 156 receives its power from the same conductors as supply power to crane motor. 21. The nozzles 156 are oscillated by motor 94 which receives its power from those same conductors.

Having thus described the present invention so that those skilled in the art' may be able to understand and practice the same, we state that what we desire to secure by Letters Patentis defined in whatis claimed.

What is claimed is: p

1. Apparatus for removing lint'from looms arranged in a plurality of rows with the longitudinal axes of the arches in approximate alignment, said apparatus com prising parallel, spaced apart rails extending parallel to the rows of looms and constituting a runway, a traveling carrier to run on said runway and including a bridge extending across and above the arches of said plurality of rows of looms, driving means connected to said carrier and engaging said runway, a reversible, electric means supported by said carrier and serving to' actuate said driving means to move said carrier repeatedly back and forth over the rows of looms transversely of the warp thereof, a traveling cleaner mounted on the carrier, said cleaner comprising a frame, two casings each having a depending nozzle, two non-reversible motors supported by and fixed against movement relative to the frame, two centrifugal fans one in each casing and each fixed to a motor rotor shaft for rotation by the latter, said fans acting during the travel of the carrier to draw air from the room and to discharge the air through the nozzles and down upon the warp of the looms in streams extending lengthwise of the warp and having high velocity, low volume and restricted area at the warp level and being capable of removing lint from above the warp and blowing through the warp and removing lint from the loom parts below the warp but incapable of actuating the stop motions of the looms, means connected to the nozzles and acting during the travel of the carrier automatically to cause said streams of air to move lengthwise of the warp, energizablemeans connected to the cleaner and engageable with the bridge for moving said cleaner along the bridge to positions above each of said rows of looms, an electrical system for energizing said reversible and non-reversible means,,means automatically operable to reverse said reversible means when said carrier has reacheda predetermined position on the runway without interrupting the actuation of said non-reversible means, and an interlock for the carrier driving means and the cleaner moving means to deenergize one of said means when the other of said means is energized. I

2. Apparatus for removing lint from looms arranged in a plurality of rows with the longitudinal axes of the arches, warp and cloth rolls of each row of looms in approximate alignment respectively, said apparatus comprising parallel, spaced apart" rails extending parallel to the rows of looms and constituting a runway, a traveling carrier to run on said runway and including a bridge above the arches of said plurality of rows of looms, driving means connected to said carrier and engaging said runway, reversible, electric means supported by said carrier and serving to actuate said driving means to move said carrier repeatedly back and forth over the rows of looms transversely of the warp thereof, blower means for forming and directing downwardly on opposite sides of the loom harnesses of one of said rows of looms streams of air having, at the warp level, a width equal to at least about half the length of the warp from the loom harness to the adjacent roll and a low volume and a high velocity sufiicient to blow through the warp and remove lint from the looms below the warp but insufii cient to actuate the stop motions of the looms, said blower means including wheels to run on said bridge, a carriage supported by said wheels below said bridge, fan meanson the carriage for forming two such streams of air, nozzles for directing said streams down onto a row of looms, non-reversible, electric means connected to said fan means and supported by and fixed against lateral movement relative to said carriage for actuating said fan means, means connected to said carriage and engageable with said bridge for moving said carriage to positions over each of said rows of looms, means supported by said carriage and operatively connected to said nozzles for moving said streams lengthwise of the warp to blow through substantially all parts of the warp from the warp roll to the cloth, an electrical system for energizing said reversible and non-reversible means, and means automatically operable to reverse said reversible means when said carrier has reached a predetermined position on the runway without interrupting the actuation of said non-reversible means.

3. Apparatus for removing lint from looms arranged in a plurality of rows with the longitudinal axes of the arches, warp and cloth rolls of each row of looms in approximate alignment respectively, said apparatus comprising parallel, spaced apart rails extending parallel to the rows of looms and constituting a runway, a traveling carrier including wheels to run on said runway and a bridge supported by said wheels above the arches of said plurality of rows of looms, driving means connected to said carrier and engaging said runway, reversible, electric means supported by said carrier and serving to actuate said driving means to move said carrier repeatedly back and forth over the rows of looms transversely of the warp thereof, blower means for forming and directing downwardly on opposite sides of the loom harnesses of one of said rows of looms streams of air having, at the warp level, a width equal to at least about half the length of the warp from the loom harness to the adjacent roll and a low volume and a high velocity sufiicient to blow through the warp and remove lint from the looms below the warp but insuificient to actuate the stop motions of the looms, said blower means including wheels to run on said bridge, a carriage supported by said wheels below said bridge, two motors fixed to saidcarriage, fans on the rotor shafts of the motors, and housings mounted for rotation about said shafts and having nozzles for directing streams of air formed by the fans, and means supported by said carriage and operatively connected to said housings for rotating them and moving said streams lengthwise of the warp to blow through substantially all parts of the warp from the warp roll to the cloth, means supported by the carriage and engaging said bridgerfor moving said carriage along the bridge to positions above the said rows of looms, an electrical system for energiz ing said reversible and non-reversible means, and means automatically operable to reverse said reversible means when said carrier has reached a predetermined position on the runway without interrupting the actuation of said non-reversible means.

4. Apparatus for removing lint from looms arranged 

12. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REMOVING LINT FROM A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF TEXTILE LOOMS COMPRISING A CRANE-LIKE CARRIER WHICH IS LONG ENOUGH TO EXTEND ACROSS A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF LOOMS WITH WHEELS AT ITS ENDS TO RUN ON A STRAIGHT TRACKWAY, MEANS TO PROPEL THE CARRIER BACK AND FORTH ON THE TRACKWAY, FAN MEANS ON THE CARRIER TO CREATE LOOM CLEANING STREAMS OF AIR AND DIRECT THEM DOWNWARDLY AND MOVE THEM LENGTHWISE OF THE WRAP ON THE ROWS OF LOOMS AND TO REMOVE LINT FROM LOOMS IN A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF LOOMS, MEANS TO ROTATE THE FAN MEANS AND MEANS TO REVERSE THE TRAVEL OF THE CARRIER WITHOUT REVERSING THE ROTATION OF THE FAN MEANS. 